PATNA: Union minister and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) supremo Chirag Paswan on Sunday announced that he would contest forthcoming elections in Bihar "for the sake of a better future of state" while addressing a rally in Bihar's Saran district. He also spoke in support of the domicile policy for government jobs in the state.
"People have been asking me whether Chirag Paswan will contest the assembly elections. I want to announce from Saran that yes, Chirag Paswan will contest the elections for the sake of a better future of Bihar," he said.
"I will contest the election for the people of Bihar, for my brothers, mothers, for my sisters. We will build a system in Bihar that will truly take the state forward on the path of development," he added.
He further said that he will leave no stone unturned to fulfil the dreams of his late father Ram Vilas Paswan.
"I will live for the people of Bihar and die for the people of Bihar," he vowed amid wide applause from the gathering.
He further extended his support to the domicile policy for government jobs in the state, claiming that implementation of domicile policy has been a long-standing demand of job seekers of state. He said that domicile policy was introduced in 2006 but later withdrawn by Opposition parties.
"RJD-Congress never think about betterment of youths. They always misled youth of state. If they come to power again, they will snatch half of your wealth via inheritance tax," he added.
Earlier, Opposition leader Tejashwi Prasad Yadav supported demand for implementation of domicile policy in government jobs. Last week, hundreds of job aspirants took out a procession in state capital to exert pressure on government to concede their demand.
On the other hand, Nitish Kumar government ruled out possibility of introduction of a domicile policy on the plea that it would be in violation of the Constitution.
Chirag’s concern over Bizman Khemka’s murder
Union minister Chirag Paswan expressed his concern over murder of a prominent businessman Gopal Khemka in Patna and said that government should intervene and solve the mystery behind the incident at the earliest.
In response to a media query, LJP(RV) chief said, "This is really a matter of grave concern. The way crime has increased in Bihar and law and order deteriorated, I am not talking about the murder of Khemka. The attack took place in upscale Gandhi Maidan area and that too a few metres away from the trader’s home. Several political leaders also reside in same locality."
Sharpening his attack on the state government for its failure to contain crime, Chirag said that if this can happen in capital, what to talk about rural areas, where police’s presence is not better compared to urban areas.
He said that he felt a bit embarrassed as he supported the same alliance, which has been running government in state.
"It’s the government duty to ensure people stay safe. Law and order situation needs to be improved immediately," he added.